430 THE ALASKAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 



minutes at a time, so that the oniithLilugist wh^i is suspicious may follow 

 the lead from a half mile's distance. 



Nesting- is chiefly at moderate heights — from two anil a half to eight 

 feet from the ground, Bendire says ; so that there ought not to Ije any difli- 

 culty in studying this species once it is found. 



No. 170. 



ALASKAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 



A. O. U. No. 401 a. Picoides americanus fasciatus Raird. 



Synonym. — L.\DDER-n.\CKKD Tiirek-Tokd Woodpecker. 



Description. — .Idiilt iiialc: Up]ierparts chiefly Ijlack, the back strongly 

 barred with white, these bars more or less confluent centrally; flight-feathers 

 marked with paired white spots, and wing-coverts sometimes more or less spotted 

 with white: two central pairs of tail-feathers black, the ne.xt succeeding pair 

 black mingled with white, and the remaining ])airs pure white: a squarish yellow 

 patch on crown: a distinct white post-ocular stripe extending to nape; a broad 

 white stripe from lore to side of neck ; underparts white, the sides and flanks 

 lieaviK- but narrowly barred with black. Bill and feet plumbeous black; iris 

 brown. .Iiliilt fciiialc: Similar but without yellow crown patch: sometimes 

 largely white on crown. Length of adult.- 8.00-9.50 (203.2-241.3): wing 4.60 

 (1 16.8) : tail 3.60 (01.4) : bill 1.20 (30.5). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink to Robin size: lustrous Ijlack above with 

 central white in broad bars: sides black-and-white barred. 



Nesting. — Kcst: In hole at various heights. Eggs: usually 4, white. Av. 

 size, .92 .X.70 (23.4x17.8). Season: June; one brood. 



General Range. — Timbered mountains of northern Washington, British 

 Columbia and Alaska. 



Range in Washington. — Sparingly resident in northern Cascades. 



Authorities. — Brewster, Auk. X. July, 1893, p]). 236, 237. 



Specimens. — I'rov. C. 



THIS is a permanent resident of the Hudsonian zone on the Mt 

 Baker range both north and south of the international boundary: also at 

 lower elevations on \"ancouver Island and on Salt Springs Island, Gull 

 of Georgia. Further in the interior it is of irregular distribution, being 

 in son-ie districts replaced by Picoides arcticiis. ai-id in others occupx-ing the 

 same localities as that species. I liaxe no records fi_M" arcticiis west of the 

 Cascade range. At one time I was convinced that the Alaskan Three-toed 

 Woodpecker occupietl a higher breeding zone than the Black-liacked species 

 (arcticiis). but had to modify this o])inion on finding a pair of fasciatim 



